Page 78 of How We Loved

She laughs again, and it soothes my soul, just like it does every time she laughs.

“Why don’t you practice that right now, so if an animal does try to sneak up on you, you’re prepared?”

“No way in hell,” she says through her own giggles.

“Oh, come on. Eli needs to hear you growl.”

She chuckles, then sighs, and we sit in silence for a few beats.

“Thanks, Ben.”

“For what?”

“For just being you.”

“You know there’s no one else I’d rather be.”

I grin at Eli, and he shakes his head, rolling his eyes.

I know I’m the cocky one of the group, and I totally own it.

I look at my screen. “It’s telling me to turn in a mile, so I’m getting closer.”

She says, “Okay,” but it’s the first time in this entire conversation that I feel like she really means it. She’s calming down, and the fear in her voice is softening.

“Do you see my truck?” I ask when we finally get close to her.

“Not yet.”

“It says we’re right next to you.” I turn a corner.

“Yes!” she screams with joy.

I look out and see her waving and jumping up and down. “See, it’s Timon,” I tease as I point her out to Eli.

“Shut up.” She giggles.

She comes running toward my truck, and when I put it in park, I hop out to meet her the rest of the way.

“Ben,” she cries as she jumps in my arms, wrapping her legs around me so I’m carrying her.

“I’m here, Sunshine. I’ll always be here.”

I hold her, trying to comfort her as she cries on my shoulder.

I run my fingers down her hair. “Shh. Don’t cry. Everything’s okay.”

She nods in the crook of my neck and holds me tighter.

Once her cries start to subside, I motion like I’m going to set her down, and she slides down my body until her feet are planted on the ground.

When I look in her eyes, my heart breaks wide open for her with the way her makeup is streaming down her face, but it doesn’t matter because she’s beautiful, no matter what.

I wipe under both of her eyes with my thumbs. “Please stop crying. You’re killing me here.”

Her lips quiver as she nods, and I bring her close to me, pressing her head against my heart, hoping she truly knows one day that it only beats for her.

I walk her back to my truck just as Dalton and Natalie arrive. Dalton turns on his cube lights, illuminating the entire area around us before they hop out. Eli comes to join us as well.

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